nature gave to the Queen an excessive trouble The Count D' Odemira was sensibly touched knowing that they ordinarily impute the faults of Princes to their Governours as it happened to Don John Alphonso D' Albuquerque who was charged with the cruel Actions of Don Pedro King of Castile The Count resolved then to withdraw the King at what price soever he did it from this shameful conversation Having one day found in the Court of Lion the King environ'd by Conti and all that Gang he chased them away he forbad entrance to Conti with menaces to chastise him if ever he durst return thither again The King more troubled than Conti at this Prohibition and Menace retired himself into his Appartment with excessive trouble Some of those who were about him had no sooner known that he was discontented with his Governour and that he had an Affection for Conti but they let him understand that to subject his own Inclinations to the Sentiments of another was to consent to the ruine of his Authority This had such power on the mind of the King that after this he rejected whatever advice they would give him he grew obstinate even to rage that he would learn no Lesson nor eat nor drink till they had brought back Conti to him so that they were obliged to bring him to him In the Court of Lyon they oftentimes for his diversion had Dog-fighting which Combats were at first private but at last they became publick These Mastiffs were kept in the great Court of the Palace where being all sorts of Dogs and unty'd they very often fell upon those they found in their way The diversion of Bough-fighting was brought also from the Court of the Chappel to the same place and at last became so common in the Suburbs that what was formerly the sport only of little children became in a short space to be a bloody Combat In all these Diversions those wherein the most Blood was shed pleased the Kingmost These Disorders being come to that excess his Governour thought that it was best for him to find out diversions conformable to his humour but that they might not be so publick so that if any thing should happen that might be any blemish it might be the less taken notice of They resolved then to teach him the use of Weapons and they gave him for his Master therein Diego Gomes de Figueredo but they found it impossible to make him follow any Method for he would not learn to do any thing skilfully as he should do but was all for downright blows This exercise handsom and innocent enough became however very deadly and criminal through the ill use that he made of it That they might cause an emulation in the King they permitted to enter the Palace certain young men who under pretext of making a flourish in his presence brought with them all sorts of Weapons every one having a design to let him see his force and skill But in these exercises there happened almost every day one or other ill accident especially when they darted certain Knives purposely made which many times slipping from their hands wounded some or other in the throng of Spectators John â—e Conti was in all these Exercises and though his skill was not very great he was still recompensed by the King so that he became his Favourite insomuch that whatever violences he committed in the Palace were suffered unpunished This Example was the cause that those Crimes from which they had abstained before for fear of Justice were now committed with Assurance so that the King hereby drew upon himself the ill-will of all the People not only by his own Actions but also by those of others They had lodged the Infante Don Pedro in the Queens Apartment that his Union with the King might thereby become the more strong and easy to be compassed and therefore they had given to them both one Tutor that they might likewise learn together But this did no good to the King and was a notable prejudice to the Infante for when they should have followed their Books the King would disturb them and often interrupt his Tutor in reciting his shameful Divertisements The King and the Infante had oftentimes differences between them which being grounded but on slight matters quickly ceased However the malice of his Favourites fomented these petty misunderstandings in such sort that the King put himself to oppose the Infante on every occasion It was at this time that the Favour of Conti with the King who was now sixteen began to spread abroad certain Courtiers perswading themselves that he had perfectly established himself in the Heart of the Prince for that he had wholly destroy'd his Governour they grew so shameless as to make him the object of their respects After which he had the boldness to vaunt himself to be descended from a Branch of Vintimiglia an Illustrious Family in the Realm of Sicily and this was maintained by the testimony of some Flatterers For the most part the persons that came near the King were debauch'd in their speeches and it was no wonder to hear him speak dishonest words even before the Ladies Some of his Councellors offended thereat advis'd the Queen that he might be removed into the new Apartment called the Fort where those Persons who Corrupted his Manners should not have so much liberty to come To this end the Queen ordered he should be served there by Don John de Silva Marquess de Govea grand Master of the House Garcia de Mello grand Chamberlain the Count de Padro Master of the Horse Don John de Almeida Master of the Wardrobe and by Lewis de Mello Captain of his Guards The Count de Padro being gone to Command the Army in his absence the Charge of first Gentleman of his Chamber and that of Master of the Horse were given to Don Diego de Lima Vicount de Villanova de Cerveira they gave also the Charge of Chief Gentleman of the Chamber to Lewis de Vasconcelos and Sousa Count de Castlemelhor All these Officers were to serve Weekly and to lie in the Palace and to the end that some of them might always be about the King those before mentioned were to be Relieved in the Day-time by Don Vasco Mascarenhas Count of Obidos Nuno de Mendosa Count de Valdereis Lewis de Silva Tello Count de Aveiras and Francisco de Sonsa Coutinho Councellor of State All these Lords having Keys to enter in at all times when they pleased The Queen ordered this Project to be kept secret and that they should keep open the Door which gave way for a Communication between her Apartment and that of the King 's But he soon frustrated all these Designs The Count de Odemira his Governour having told him That the quarter through which he should go out was made up He answered him briskly that he would then go thorow the Hall of the Almane Guards The Count having told him that there was a great
Dispatches to have given him notice of what had passed But that Door according to custome being fast he went by the Clock-House which was upon the Tarrass where having found the Duke he highly condemned his Enterprise telling him he had lost all respect to the King whose Palace ought to be a sacred and inviolable Sanctuary and went so far as to give the Duke very outragious words But seeing they had seized on both Passages he returned the same way he came and went to try if he could get in through the Queens Apartment but he found that also fast so that with all the diligence he had it was impossible for him to speak with the King An Ax being brought the Duke told Conti that if they were compelled to break open the Kings Doors there was no hopes of Life for him but if he would open them they would do him no hurt at this Threat he rendred himself and as he came out of the Chamber with a grave Countenance the Grand Provost arrested him who also presently after took Baltasar Rodrigue de Matos Groom of the Wardrobe who exercised the Charge of Lievtenant of the Guard for his Father in Law Diego Botelho de Sande and led them both through the Tarass to the place where they build Ships and there they made them enter a Shallop to be carried aboard a Ship that was ready to set sail for Brasil John de Matos and Francisco Bernardo Taveira were also arrested the first had been a Groom in the Kings Stable the second a Clerk to the Covent of Hermites of St. Augustin both of them having gotten into the favour of the King the one as a brave and skilful Runner at the Bulls the other for serving him in his secret pleasures John de Conti was also arrested Of these five Prisoners who according to the order they had given should have been carried to Brazile only Antony de Conti John de Conti and John de Mattos went for Baltasar Rodrigue de Matos was brought again to Shore because they found he was not so guilty and as for Francisco Bernardo Taviera he flung himself from his Prison upon the Rocks where he was taken up so very much bruised that it was impossible to Embarque him The Queen who waited with great Impatience the news of this Execution which she had no sooner heard but sent word to the Councellors of State to the Tribunals to the Councel of the City and the Chamber of the Four and Twenty to the Grandees and Gentry who were before Assembled that they should come into the Chamber where the King and she were to understand what follows which Speech was made to them by the Secretary of State The Obedience the Queen our Princess owed to the Orders of the deceased King the kindness she had for the King her Son and the desire she had to be a Comfort to her Subjects in acknowledging those great Services which she had received from them were the Motives that obliged her maugre the great need she had of Repose to take upon her the Government If she hath not acquitted her self to the content of all it is not that she hath spar'd her self nor that she has shun'd any Cares or Troubles This Princess extremely touch'd with the Disorders which trouble this Monarchy and with the Complaints of the People did believe it was most fitting to call together to this Place in this absence of the States General all those Tribunals which represent them to the end she might declare to the King in their presence the Remedy which she hath endeavoured to bring to them and to receive from them what Counsel she shall need therein if what she hath done for the good of the State be not sufficient assuring them that she has no other intention then to follow their Counsels All the People complain that Justice which is a thing that Kings ought to love more than their Eyes is not Administred As the Queen does not alone Administer it but there are Judges who take Cognisance of Affairs Civil and Criminal she hath resolved to Examine all the Tribunals to the end if any one among them hath given Cause of Complaint to the People they might receive the Chastisement their Fault merits and the People the Satisfaction they ought to have It is a very great Regret to the Queen our Soveraign that there is heard murmuring among the People who complain that the King our Lord although he be of Age to take into his own Hand the Government of the State of which the Queen so vehemently desires to Discharge her self doth not apply himself however to any Affairs necessary thereto but on the contrary lets himself be carried away by his Courage in which Exercises of Violence he hath Exposed his Life so many times to evident Dangers hazarding to leave the Kingdom without a Successor instead of giving himself wholly to other Exercises which should draw upon him the Blessings of Heaven the Love of his Subjects and the Esteem of Strangers And since we are all here present the Queen would have us that we Conjure the King to think of himself and of us which is the true way to render a King as commendable by his Merits as he was before by his Birth He owes this Consolation to his Subjects who are assuredly the best Subjects that ever King had since without thinking of the loss of their Children which are for the most part Dead in the War nor of their Goods which are almost all consumed they yet expose continually all that remains with their Lives to conserve the name of Faithful Subjects to his Majesty Sir By the the acknowledgment which your Majesty owes to God who hath made you so Great by that which you owe to the comfort of so good a Mother and to the services of your good Subjects who cast themselves at your feet with Hearts full of Grief to see your Soul subjected to so many Passions and burning with desire to see it delivered from that Tyranny they do Conjure you to quit the way you are in and deliver us by your Royal Bounty from those extreme Fears into which the Love that we have for your Person doth continually cast us Your Majesty Sir might better employ your Courage your Generosity and your other Virtues in imitating as it is with great Passion desired the Example of that Great King the Author of our Liberty whose Remembrance will be eternally engraven in our Hearts May then your Majesty suffer us to make you these Remonstrances which we hope may be no ways offensive although they may not be altogether conformable to your Thoughts since there may be occasions in which it is to be unfaithful to Princes to have Complacency for them Besides our Nation as you know is naturally an Enemy to Flattery although we have already Sworn Sir we Sware again and we shall Sware a Thousand times humbly prostrate at the Feet of your Majesty
King that it was necessary whereupon it follow'd that the Confessor of these two Princes went to the Infante and told him as from the King that although God might give him Children yet it was most profitable to increase as much as was possible the Royal Family that for this reason he would act with him as a Father and as a King and desired ardently therefore to see him married That if he had not hitherto been able to accomplish that desire he believed that from his prudence and his inclination to the good of the Kingdom this proposition would be very agreeable to him that therefore he should inform himself of the Princesses of Europe and fix his choice upon her for whom he found the greatest inclination and also that he should cast his eyes upon those persons which he should judg most capable of that Negotiation and as for his part that all which depended upon him to advance the Conclusion of such a Treaty should be perform'd The Infante having consider'd this Affair according to the importance of it sent his answer in writing by the same Confessor to the King in which he thank'd him for the proposition his Goodness had made unto him submitting himself intirely to his will to follow the order which his Majesty had thereupon made known to him he should declare his mind not as a Rule that he should follow but only as a mark of that Obedience which he would testifie on all occasions He then made mention of all the Princesses of Europe representing to him all the circumstances both of Alliance and Love telling him also that the Confidence and Veneration which had united his Majesty with the King and Queen of England required that first of all he should send to their Majesties some person to ask their Advice and Consent thereupon and having received all necessary instructions he should pass into France or Italy to negotiate that Affair adding since his Majesty among the cares of his publick Affairs would be pleased to think of his own particular he was obliged to let him know it was impossible after a proposition of that nature but he would appoint him some Revenues whereby he might be able to maintain the Expences which that condition would charge him with hoping his Majesty without prejudicing the Publick which ought to be preferr'd to all things would act with him according to his ordinary Generosity which he had made proof of so often In the end proposing John de Roxas d' Azevedo his Secretary as a person who was most capable of managing that affair the King approved of all these sentiments of the Infante giving him hope that he would satisfy all his desires But the day being appointed for his Majesty's Secretary and that of the Infante to confer about this business there hapned in the mean time accidents which hindred this Conference and embroiled all the Court. A French-man an Officer of the Queens returning from the Province of Alemtejo was killed by a Carrier who was pursued and taken in the City of Canimbre and carried to the Limoriro in Lisbon but being he was taken out of a Church which are Sanctuaries in Portugal for all Criminals it was for a while disputed whether it should be a Sanctuary for his life which was the occasion that his Process was delayed and the solitude of the place where the Murther was committed rendred the proofs difficult At the same time there hapned between the Count de St. Croix grand Master of the Queen's House and Pedro d' Almeyda her Secretary a difference about their Charges both of them wrot their Reasons and put them into the hands of the Queen who ordered the Secretary of State to have them examined by two Masters of Requests but he waving that order after he had shewed them to all the Parliament carried them to the Council of State without rendring any account of it to her Some time after the Queen ask'd the Secretary what was done in those two Affairs he replied that as to the first there must be some clearer proof before the accused could be condemned and to the other it was before the Council of State advising her to speak with the Count de Castlemelhor about it The Queen surprized with this answer told him he had not executed her Orders and that she did not approve of his councel to speak to the Count de Castle-melhor having made a resolution by Oath never in her life to speak to him about any Affair That he was always against her and had reduc'd her to so miserable a condition that it might be called poverty that for this eight months past she had not so much as to give an Alms and notwithstanding all this he had the credit of acting for her Interests That they had not consign'd to her the fifty thousand Livres which the King had granted her That besides being she was not willing by reason of the necessity of the Realm to require presently all those things which she might lay claim to by the Contract of Marriage they ought not at least to fail of paying her that Sum. That this Refusal would not so sensibly move her if it were done for the good of the State and the ease of the People it not being just that whilst many persons at the Court overflowed with Riches they should refuse her the Money of that Consignation and yet they paid not the Souldiers retaining unjustly from the Religious the Orphans the Widows and the Nobles their dues feoadal Rents and Pensions hiding from her all that passed in the State as if she had not the most interest next the King adding further that they could not but know very well she should have had joy in the Re-establishment of the Duke of Cadaval at the Court since they had seen her solicit it but they acted in secret so that her speaking in the favour of any although it were with the greatest Justice in the World was sufficient cause to beget obstacles and oppositions against them That if she testified a desire to any thing they made it presently seem a thing impossible to be obtained though before that it had been very easy that likewise it seem'd as if they endeavoured to let all the World know she had no part in the Government That although good manners should teach them otherwise they had neither respect or regard as they ought to have for her and that it was so far from being so that some persons were so forgetful of themselves as not to forbear the giving her affronts and treating her with so much contempt as she could not but think by their actions they would have her to understand she came to Portugal rather to be their Slave than Queen The Secretary to excuse his boldness for shewing the Consultation to the Grand Chamber and carrying it to the Council of State urged that the Count of Castlemelhor and his Friends had no other design than to serve
his advantage as they might perhaps publish in their Quarters To the Navies an Order to withdraw from Lisbon and wrot to the Count St. John that neither he nor any other whatsoever should go out of his Province without order This perswaded the Infante that the design was laid to make war upon him both by Land and Sea so that having known by all these signs there was no more hopes for him of Justice against the Count He presented a new Request to the King supplicating him that he would once more give order to examine this Affair which was expressed in these Terms It hath pleased your Majesty to let me know by the Councellors of State the Marquess de Marialva the Marquess de Sande Ruy de Moura Telles that you have resolved never to consent to the removal of the Count de Castelmelhor which I demanded to facilitate the justification of my Complaint and this Resolution is grounded upon the advice of Noble persons whom it hath pleased your Majesty to consult Your Majesty desires that I determine and make my Answer presently because the State may not continue in the trouble it is Although I ought to conform my self to whatever it hath pleased your Majesty to resolve upon as I have not been wanting to do in all my actions there remains nevertheless Liberty to demand of your Majesty that it will please you to examine my request a second time for good and all since this hath been done in affairs of less importance there is more reason it should be permitted in this the consequence of which is the loss of an Infante only Brother to your Majesty and your Majesty's most faithful Servant I infer Sir from this Resolution that the Count will not clear himself but with Arms in his hand and without depriving himself of that Authority which your Majesty hath given him leave to take appearing to day with greater lustre than ever he had done before designing by it to cast a terror on the spirits of the people to decide by violence a civil affair for he caused an assembly to be where they might collect their opinions by the noise of Drums and so little attention that some did not so much as understand the Proposition that was made to them as it is easie to be remarked in the declarations that they made Those also who gave their opinion in favour of the Count did it on foundations contrary to the end and motive of my Request because I did not demand that the Count should either retreat or be exiled without security but only a suspension from his great power to the end that if during that time he be found guilty he might lose both his Honour and Life and on the contrary if he justifies himself he may conserve both the one and the other with all his Charges This proceeding Sir lets us see with what precipitancy they have acted who examined the grounds of this affair there having been more of solidity in the opinions of Martin Alfonsas de Mello John de Roxas d'Asevedo and Pedro Ferdinand Monteiro these last named having seen by the experience of twenty-seven years a great many Crimes which they have examined of high Treason being thereby very intelligent in that matter Doth not Francisco de Lucena furnish us with an example against whom the complaint only of some particular Gentlemen was found sufficient to put him into Prison and yet they will not allow mine to be sufficient to gain an Order for the Count to retire for some days although he should leave for his defence his Kindred his Friends his Creatures and your Majesty himself He thinking it better to suffer this blot upon his Honour and Reputation than to expose himself to the danger of the Issue and engage you to declare that the cause was your own than to stand to the trial of the truth By this resolution your Majesty hath let us see the Interests of the Count are inseparable to the Crown to the prejudice of the only Infante and the only Successor your Majesty hath at this day or that you shall have until those shall be born which I expect shall break that order As if the Interests of an Infante should be different from those of the Crown when he meddles with those of a Favourite whose boldness is gone so far as to perswade your Majesty to order all those Gentlemen whom I use to see at my Palace to come there no more because there runs a report that I have made my complaint to the people But this pretence which he hath taken the better to hide his pernicious intentions is taken away and ceases by the obedience of these Gentlemen He would have it believ'd that your Majesty cannot be a King if he should be at any time removed from about your Majesty although it were but for some days believing this the best way to lessen my Glory and that of all the Nobles of the Realm Arming against me as he at present doth Horse and Foot doth it not justifie my former complaint And although your Majesty believes that what hath pass'd was for another cause the event will let you know that it was only a pretence by which he abuses your Majesty For in fine it must needs be that I am the object of all this Tumult or they have not distinguish'd me from those against whom they Arm. If it be the first is there any thing more offensive If the other it must be that they have not counted me in the number of those whom they meant to defend else wherefore did they not advertise me to think of my security wherefore did they send none to defend my Palace wherefore never did they impart to me the cause for which they took up Arms And lastly why this precaution of redoubling the Guards It is against the Infante Sir it is against the Infante that the Count de Castelmelhor takes Arms in the eyes of all the Nobles and of all the people of the Realm raising trouble in the State and terror in every spirit so that none may have liberty to do any thing against him But however it is not Arms that can dismay the Infante Don Pedro for if they should have the power to affright him he would tear open his Veins to let out that Blood which was not answering to his Birth and the Example of the Kings his Predecessors I say this Sir for fear that any should believe if I should retire I go to look for succour The Count hath put this business in such terms that both of us cannot be safe and it must be that I perish or he be removed That which gives me a most mortal grief is I too plainly see your Majesty would rather consent to the loss of me than the withdrawing of the Count sacrificing to his Violence my Life my Officers and all those that take my part enforcing me by this pressing necessity which I have forseen
he was Incapable of holding the Reins being Married to so fair and virtuous a Princess he was not Capable of giving them Successors to the Crown as he had evidently himself acknowledged by his own Declaration and by that of the Queens And seeing him fit neither for the one or the other and by Consequence it was necessary very suddenly to give a Remedy to these Evils They had permitted it giving way by the means of this Detention to make the Proofs as to the preparation of the Process upon the Nullity of his Marriage which else could not have been done 5. If the Queen at that time and in that condition had been able to have had Recourse to the holy See to have judged of the Nullity of her Marriage she had undoubtedly done it she having at divers times declared the same thing And doth yet declare it that it was her Intention as much for the grand Importance of the Business as for the great Respect and infinite Reverence which she always hath had for the holy See And also because she is fully perswaded of the Equity and Justice of one of the best and most worthy Popes who hath ever sat in the Chair of St. Peter but not then being able to do it to her great Regret not having so easily Recourse thither for those Causes which all the World knows of and which have made all the Realm of Portugal to Groan for the space of Thirty Years continually without having the power to be able to cast themselves at the Feet of the Popes nor to be heard in their greatest Spiritual Necessities the Peace with Spain not being as yet finished from whence all these Obstacles came Her Majesty was obliged to have Recourse to the Ordinary and to the nearest Judge which was the Chapter of Lisbon when the Episcopal See was vacant 6. That in the choice of the Judges which were Eleven in Number the Chapter had had all the Liberty and all the Regard possible to name for that Business the most considerable of that Illustrious Body as well for their Quality and their Learning as their Virtue and their Honesty 7. That in the Judgment which lasted more than Four Months there was observed all the necessary Forms even as if it had been done for Persons of ordinary or the meanest Condition 8. That as to the Proofs in Law upon which they had declared the King Incapable and his Marriage Nul they were so strong and evidently manifest and so very certain that the Judges after they had a long time and most maturely Examined all declared in their Sentence that they were not only sufficient but more than enough and there was no need either of Inspection nor of the Experience of Three Years 9. Then when it was made known to the King the Sentence that the Eleven Judges had pronounced as abovesaid before all the Chapter of Lisbon upon the Nullity of the Marriage and one of the Judges to wit the Grand Vicar signified it to him by the Secretary of the Relation being Interrogaeed whether he would Acquiess therein or whether he would Appeal He Answered of his own good will that he was willing to Acquiess and that he would not Appeal and his Majesty signed the same Declaration This is in truth and in few words what hath passed about the Nullity of the first Marriage of the Queen so that there only remains the Third Consideration to be Examined which is concerning the manner in which she hath made the Second with the most Serene Prince Don Pedro which we shall clearly shew in few words in these following Articles 1. The Queen having received the Sentence of the nullity of her Marriage and seeing her self free she thought of nothing but of returning into France and for that end she would take the Opportunity of the Fleet which the most Christian King had sent into Portugal to carry back his Troops Therefore she quickly let the Three States know her Resolution praying them very earnestly to Approve of it and to Order it so that she might carry back with her the Portion she brought that she returning for France might have wherewithal to maintain her according to her Quality But the States who had so highly Approved of her Retreat and witnessed infinite Joy for the Sentence of the Nullity of the Marriage did strongly oppose themselves to the Resolution which she had taken of going away and came all of them in a Body to the Covent to Supplicate her with Tears in their Eyes not to abandon the Realm And having already found some ease by her Declaration that she would once more yield to their Wishes in consenting to the Marriage which they would propose to her with their Prince and the rather because they were neither able nor willing to return her Portion To which the Queen having Answered what her Modesty and the Quality of her Birth would permit her on that Occasion without engaging her self or denying it They went at the same instant in a Body to the Prince to entreat him to save the Realm by Espousing the Queen protesting to him that they would never suffer him as they said to think on any other Marriage The Prince who ever had a particular Esteem for the Queen because of her rare qualities and ever since they had designed to have espoused her to him formerly when they designed to have married the King Alphonso to Mademoiselle de Nemours at this time the Dutchess Royal of Savoy did receive this Petition of the States with very great satisfaction saying That he most willingly consented to to it provided they could bring it about that the Queen would consent to it likewise Being returned for this end to her Majesty they supplicated her divers times that she would give her consent thereto so that in the end being vanquished by the powerful Reasons which they alledged concerning the necessity of the State and by those Motives which they urged to make this Marriage speedily she gave them the Liberty to do that which they should think most convenient for the Publick Good So that this Marriage was solemnly concluded and all things disposed to consummate it very soon to prevent and dissipate the practices which some of the Enemies of the publick Repose were making with the Ministers of Spain to hinder it and to conclude another with the Princess of Austria and the same Prince by which they would make him hope for great advantages to make him consent 2. The principal Divines and Doctors of the University of Portugal as well Regulars as Seculars having consulted upon the necessity of a Dispensation for the first degree of publick Honesty to effect this Marriage they were all of the same Opinion and of the same Sentiment saying unanimously that there was no need of having it in the Case in Question and they made divers Writings thereupon There was also more than thirty who signed a Treatise which was expresly made by one